Have you ever looked back at an old photo or memory and suddenly felt a pang of jealousy for your past self? Maybe you used to be more motivated, more social, more confident—or at least, that’s the story your brain is telling you. In this episode, we’re unpacking why we romanticize the past and compare ourselves to who we used to be. 

You will learn... 
- the different ways we compare our current selves to our past selves 
- the psychological reason behind this self-comparison 
- how sociocultural conditioning promotes competition and comparison 
- how to stop comparing yourself and embrace who you are now 

Remember: Your past self isn’t better than you—she’s just different. She has wisdom to offer you, just as you have wisdom to offer her. Allow all parts of yourself to sit at the table. 

Mentioned In This Episode... 
TED Talk: The Riddle of Experience vs. Memory by Daniel Kahneman
The Myth of Meritocracy Runs Deep in American History 
TED Talk: How to talk to the worst parts of yourself by Karen Faith 
Movie Recommendation: Midnight in Paris 

If you enjoyed this episode, share it with your friends to spread the gift of self-love! 
Follow Mary on IG: @maryscupofteaa and @maryspodcast 

Deepen your self-love journey with Mary’s books: 
1. The Gift of Self-Love, an interactive workbook that will help you build confidence, recognize your worth, and learn to finally love yourself. 
2. 100 Days of Self-Love, a guided journal with 100 prompts to help you calm self-criticism and learn to love who you are.